The present invention relates generally to a display and/or signal generating device and more particularly to a device for visibly and/or audibly displaying the status of an electrical field and/or generating a signal in response to a status of the electrical field.
In some environments where an electrical field generator is used, for example in printing presses where a neon tube is utilized to provide an electrical field to disperse ink absorbing compounds, such as powdered corn starch, it is highly desireable for the operator to be continuously informed about whether the electrical field is being generated. When a neon tube is used to generate the electrical field, sometimes such an indication is available if the operator is able to look into the machinery to the location of the neon tube to see if it is giving off light. However, oftentimes even when the neon tube is operating, it becomes covered with the powder thereby obstructing the view of the light to the operator. Further, the operator must be positioned very accurately in order to observe the neon tube which is positioned in the interior of the machinery. Thus, if the operator does not happen to be standing in the right spot, he will not be alerted to the termination of the electrical field, for example if the neon tube were to break or if there were a disruption in the power being supplied to the neon tube.
It therefore would be beneficial if there were a readily observable display device or signal generator which would positively display to the operator or signal another device that the electrical field generator was in fact operating correctly. It would be a further improvement if the operator or other device would be positively alerted or signaled upon the termination of the generation of an electrical field.